Demonstrating Russia’s current plight, this graph so perfectly illustrates stagflation: When GDP sinks and inflation increases, the stagflation that results is tough to cure. If monetary authorities target inflation with tight monetary policy, then interest rates go up and further…
Can the Supreme Court Change How We Watch TV?
At the Supreme Court this week, broadcasters sought to stop a small firm from competing against them. Saying it was violating copyright law, ABC led a group challenging Aereo’s business model. Aereo uses tiny antennas to send programming to viewers…
The Reason For An Income Tax Default (Form)
In Denmark, the government automatically prepares people’s taxes. Because they already have the data they need, the tax authority calculates everyone’s income taxes and sends them notice of how much they owe or will receive as a refund. With 80%…
The Robot Milkers That Cows Like
It appears that cows prefer robot milkers. Rather than following a human schedule of pre-dawn mornings and late afternoons, the robots respond to what the cows want. Perhaps 5 or 6 times a day, the cows line up in front…
The Problem With Demand For Strawberries
Our Wednesday Environment Focus Every morning, with my yogurt, I enjoy a strawberry-grape smoothie and then later, writing this blog, I munch on almonds. And, like me, other baby boomers are buying more strawberries and raspberries, almonds and pistachios. The problem is…
How to Defend or Oppose Thomas Piketty
Summarizing Thomas Piketty’s voluminous research in his new book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century,” the NY Times said that looking back, we have overstated the beneficence of capitalism and looking forward, gross income inequality is our destiny unless policies radically change.…
The Best Reason For Women to be on Corporate Boards
Our Monday Gender Issue: Last year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had long opposed female quotas on corporate boards, capitulated. Ms. Merkel’s labor minister, a physician and mother of 6, held firm to demands that her boss accept quotas. Merkel…
Which Countries Want You to Have a Baby?
It is a recipe for demographic disaster when you have too many old people and not enough babies. The problem is the size of the working age population. When countries like the US are affluent enough to provide support to…
The Reason the Price of Gasoline Has That 9/10
If you asked me how much I pay for gas, I would say $3.49 a gallon. Actually, though, the sign says $3.499. And that means, because the gas station rounds up, I am paying $3.50. Doesn’t $3.50 sounds like a lot…
China’s Demographic Flipflop
The wait list for the most popular retirement home in China has topped 10,000. With 1100 available beds and just 11 beds emptying annually, it could take 100 years for someone to get a spot. Part of the problem is…
